'Super Circus Heroes' begins next Friday in Gainesville

If you go

Spectators can see animal acts at the “Super Circus Heroes,” which begins Friday in Gainesville.

Courtesy photo

By Tyler FrancischineCorrespondent

Published: Friday, January 3, 2014 at 12:20 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 3, 2014 at 12:20 p.m.

The O'Connell Center transforms into the Big Tent, complete with aerialists, acrobats and animals galore, when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey present their "Super Circus Heroes" show Friday through Jan. 12.

Ringmaster David Shipman said this show's theme is strength and power. Groups from 10 different countries, including Russia, China and Cuba, will perform great feats of strength, balance and concentration. One performer can land a quadruple back flip, while another balances himself midair on the tip of a sword placed at his bellybutton, he said.

"This is a show unlike any we've ever done before," Shipman said. "It's about superhuman abilities. Everyone has them. It's about finding the strength to pull them out of yourself."

Cathy Carden, the animal trainer and presenter for the show, said there will be plenty of tunes for the music lovers in the audience, as well.

"The music is awesome, and the dance numbers are so good," she said. "Our choreographer has worked with Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson."

This show takes on a smaller, one-ring format, which was created to reach venues without access to the railroad system.

The Ringling Bros. company is famous for transporting its largest performers, like elephants, on train cars. Still, this smaller format assures more face time between the performers and their audience.

An "All Access Pre-Show" held one hour before each show on the arena floor will offer audience members a chance to meet the performers.

"It's very intimate," Shipman said. "You see the sweat, you see the strain. You see that everything these performers do is real."

Carden, a seventh-generation animal trainer whose family has been in the circus business since the 1600s, said audiences will be treated to performances by 18 dogs, seven miniature horses, two Arabian horses, two Shetland ponies, two camels and three elephants, the last of which grew up alongside Carden at her parents' house.

Carden said her favorite moments training animals are those times when she sees the light bulb go on and they master their routines.

"It's really rewarding when you can communicate with the animals something you want them to do, but it's on their terms and they're having fun with it," she said.

Carden, who began training elephants at age 12, said she's most excited for a new act in which rat terriers ride on the backs of ponies.

It took six months to audition and train the animals, but she said now the terriers lean into the turns and shift their weight to masterfully ride the ponies.

Just like human performers, animal performers have different abilities and attention spans.

She said one Jack Russell terrier was fired for lack of focus, while one pony easily captured the lead role for his smarts and Alpha personality.

"You have to take everything into account — their personalities, capabilities, what they want to do and what they don't want to do," she said. "Animals teach you every day. If you're willing to learn from them, you can learn together."

Shipman, who has performed in Orlando theaters for years, said his duties as ringmaster fulfill a dream he's had since his first visit to the circus at age 2.

"I have the coolest job of all. I get to watch everything — the performers and the faces of the children we're impacting," he said. "I'm a small part of a memory that they'll take with them the rest of their lives."

Shipman said he hopes audiences leave feeling inspired.

"They'll walk away feeling like they have something inside themselves that's strong and powerful," he said. "It takes hard work and determination, but they can do anything they set their minds to."

Show times are Friday at 7 p.m.; Jan. 11 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Jan. 12 at 1 p.m. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or the University Box Office located at Gate 1 of the O'Connell Center. For more information, call 392-1653.

<p>The O'Connell Center transforms into the Big Tent, complete with aerialists, acrobats and animals galore, when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey present their "Super Circus Heroes" show Friday through Jan. 12. </p><p>Ringmaster David Shipman said this show's theme is strength and power. Groups from 10 different countries, including Russia, China and Cuba, will perform great feats of strength, balance and concentration. One performer can land a quadruple back flip, while another balances himself midair on the tip of a sword placed at his bellybutton, he said.</p><p>"This is a show unlike any we've ever done before," Shipman said. "It's about superhuman abilities. Everyone has them. It's about finding the strength to pull them out of yourself."</p><p>Cathy Carden, the animal trainer and presenter for the show, said there will be plenty of tunes for the music lovers in the audience, as well.</p><p>"The music is awesome, and the dance numbers are so good," she said. "Our choreographer has worked with Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson."</p><p>This show takes on a smaller, one-ring format, which was created to reach venues without access to the railroad system.</p><p>The Ringling Bros. company is famous for transporting its largest performers, like elephants, on train cars. Still, this smaller format assures more face time between the performers and their audience.</p><p>An "All Access Pre-Show" held one hour before each show on the arena floor will offer audience members a chance to meet the performers.</p><p>"It's very intimate," Shipman said. "You see the sweat, you see the strain. You see that everything these performers do is real."</p><p>Carden, a seventh-generation animal trainer whose family has been in the circus business since the 1600s, said audiences will be treated to performances by 18 dogs, seven miniature horses, two Arabian horses, two Shetland ponies, two camels and three elephants, the last of which grew up alongside Carden at her parents' house. </p><p>Carden said her favorite moments training animals are those times when she sees the light bulb go on and they master their routines.</p><p>"It's really rewarding when you can communicate with the animals something you want them to do, but it's on their terms and they're having fun with it," she said. </p><p>Carden, who began training elephants at age 12, said she's most excited for a new act in which rat terriers ride on the backs of ponies.</p><p>It took six months to audition and train the animals, but she said now the terriers lean into the turns and shift their weight to masterfully ride the ponies. </p><p>Just like human performers, animal performers have different abilities and attention spans.</p><p>She said one Jack Russell terrier was fired for lack of focus, while one pony easily captured the lead role for his smarts and Alpha personality.</p><p>"You have to take everything into account — their personalities, capabilities, what they want to do and what they don't want to do," she said. "Animals teach you every day. If you're willing to learn from them, you can learn together."</p><p>Shipman, who has performed in Orlando theaters for years, said his duties as ringmaster fulfill a dream he's had since his first visit to the circus at age 2.</p><p>"I have the coolest job of all. I get to watch everything — the performers and the faces of the children we're impacting," he said. "I'm a small part of a memory that they'll take with them the rest of their lives."</p><p>Shipman said he hopes audiences leave feeling inspired.</p><p>"They'll walk away feeling like they have something inside themselves that's strong and powerful," he said. "It takes hard work and determination, but they can do anything they set their minds to."</p><p>Show times are Friday at 7 p.m.; Jan. 11 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Jan. 12 at 1 p.m. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or the University Box Office located at Gate 1 of the O'Connell Center. For more information, call 392-1653.</p>